Not The Doctor
by FireOpal
Summary: A 9Rose postPotW spoilers for the Children In Need Special. Ever wondered if Rose was right? What if he wasn’t the Doctor after all? What if there was something more to it all than meets the eye?
1. Prologue

**Not The Doctor. **_(Complete)._

Beta'ed by the superb and wonderful **oldweirdme** off Time and ChipsThanks mate, this was superb. And I was left with a blue-ink feeling (top of the world!). Your comments were exceedingly helpful!

A 9/Rose post PotW fic. No, really, I have got that right. Ever wondered if Rose was right? Contains spoilers for the Children In Need Special. What if he wasn't the Doctor after all?

_

* * *

_

_Prologue._

Jack stared in despair as the TARDIS dematerialised. He turned, fuming with anger, annoyance, sadness, loneliness and desolation. He pulled back his arm. Pulled his fingers into a fist. Punched the wall, hard. Pain joined the destructive mix.

He sank to the ground and sat there, not crying because Captain Jack Harkness did not cry; not thinking because he would end up thinking about them; not wondering if they'd come back because he would be lost if he gave himself false hope.

He stayed like that for a few minutes, numb. Then, old habit returning, he stood and schooled his expression. If they were dead, he'd join them eventually. If they were living and returned for him, he'd go back. If they'd left him here, he'd make his own way. The pieces of his heart now shielded in comforting walls, he practiced a grin. Well, that seemed to be working OK.

For an experienced Time Agent, it was a simple matter to rig up a communication device and send a message to Earth requesting aid. He invented a quick story to make them happy and quickly checked his memory of this time period. He couldn't quite remember when time travel had been invented, but it was probably not looking good for him. Oh well, something would turn up.

* * *

Something did indeed turn up the very next day. Late morning (according to the few working computers) an official-looking ship docked, and he was greeted by a rescue team.

"Boy am I glad to see you!" Jack joked, turning to lead them upstairs to start their investigation. As he stepped forwards, he turned, startled, at a small, strange noise, turning to face them just in time for the dart to hit him full on in the chest. His last sight as grey overtook his vision was of a man with green eyes stepping forwards and nodding. Then he was gone.


	2. Chapter 1

**F/O: **It seems much shorter than when I first wrote, but I can't really help that.  
Many thanks to beta's oldweirdme and dokodemohoney, who were superbly fantastic :D

**

* * *

**

**Chapter One**

"_You're not foolin' me, I've seen all sorts of things. Nanogenes, Gelf, Slitheen. Oh my god, are you Slitheen?"_

"_I'm not a Slitheen."_

Rose's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she regarded this strange man. Anger boiled in her; worry, confusion, all warring together, making her even more on edge that she was previously. OK, so he wasn't a Slitheen. He had to be something, and there was no way she was falling for his lame excuse about being the Doctor. Who did he think he was kidding?

"You're not foolin' me," she warned, shaking her finger. The impostor's face fell, but she ignored him.

"Bring back the Doctor." She demanded, trying to look as though she could do some real damage if he didn't.

"Rose, I **am** the Doctor."

"You aren't!" she yelled back, before leaping onto the TARDIS console, her hands seeming to be guided by something higher than her – something whispering in the depths of her mind.. Suddenly, she felt arms, strong arms around her waist. She was lifted back. He was yelling her name, but she wasn't listening. She was kicking and screaming, screaming the Doctor's name again and again. Then she felt something strike her head, and she fell into darkness.

* * *

"It was unavoidable. She was creating a racket."

"Then convince her! Restrain her if you have to! We need her."

"I know!" Silence. "You try doing this!"

"You were the perfect candidate. This is your task."

"Then let me get on with it, and get on with your own!"

A smile. An evil smile. "Oh, I am getting on with my task. The subject is reacting quite well…"


	3. Chapter 2

**F/O: **Bit longer than the last, thankfully! Here it is, thanks to my betas weirdoldme and dokodemohoney

* * *

**Chapter Two**

When Rose awoke, it was to find herself in the medical bay, with the stranger's worried face over her. Her head ached magnificently, and she had to blink a few times before his messy brown hair came into focus properly. Oh, he actually did have sideburns.

"Rose, how do you feel?"

"Like somebody whacked me over the head with a mallet," she replied pointedly, angrily.

"You hit your head on the console; I tried to stop you," he replied earnestly, almost apologetically.

"If you hadn't grabbed me round the waist, I wouldn't have hit my head at all," she replied sarcastically, and she watched through narrowed eyes as anger flashed over his expression.

"Why don't you trust me, Rose?"

"Because you are not the Doctor," she replied flatly. "And don't call me Rose."

"I am the Doctor!" he replied, heatedly, "I think I should know!"

"An' I've lived with the Doctor for months - you're not him."

"I regenerated – to save my own life I had to regrow every cell in my body," he explained, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Bully for you. That still doesn't make you the Doctor. My Doctor," she replied defiantly, swinging her legs over the side.

"What can I do to persuade you?" he asked despairingly.

"Nothin'." Rose replied, glaring at him. The Doctor gave her one last, sad look, before stepping back.

"Fine. I'll take you home."

"Good. As long as you know how to use the TARDIS," she replied humourlessly as he left. Hugging herself, she cast her eyes around the familiar room, before something lit up on the edge of her consciousness. A warm, mellow feeling that seemed to emanate from the walls around her, full of safety and reassurance.

_He's starting up the engines. He does not know how to fly me._

The voice was smug, and wise, and achingly familiar, and she knew it instantly though she had never heard it. The TARDIS.

_**Can you stop him?**_

_We can stop him, s_he replied, and Rose frowned as the TARDIS seemed to carefully guide her along a mental journey past things she didn't understand.

_**Where is the Doctor**? _Rose asked, hoping she would know the answer.

The reply was tinged with sadness. _I do not know. I cannot see into this mind. But he is **not** the Doctor. _

Rose's satisfied grin was smug. She was right.

_**Is he tryin' to fly you?**_

_Trying. _The image of a grin, matching hers. _Failing also. He cannot understand why I will not turn on – he has no knowledge of me. _

_**But he knows how to fly you!** _Rose replied, confused as the mental image they shared showed her the impostor flicking switches with a carefree attitude.

_Yes, _she replied, _But he does not know of **me. **I am the one you call TARDIS. I am time, and space, and all things beyond your true comprehension. But, _she added, _I like you. You show promise._

_**Thanks.** _Rose replied, uncertain, but grateful for the reassuring comfort the ship sent to her telepathically.

_Be wary! _She announced suddenly. _He comes this way – he knows now he cannot move this ship. I must go, or he might sense me. He seems to have some meagre mental skill._

With that, the sense disappeared to a low hum in the back of her mind, and the doors opened. 'The Doctor' snarled impatiently at her, and suddenly, Rose felt fear. He stalked up to her seat and lifted her up.

"You! I don't know how you're doing it, but it's your fault!" he spat, tossing her back down. "Well," he smirked, "you'll get a taste of your own medicine now."

Pinning her to the bed with one arm, he grabbed an already prepared needle from the side. Rose struggled, but the impostor clearly wasn't human, and was a great deal stronger than he looked. She could only watch in horror as he quickly pushed up her sleeve and injected the unknown substance, feeling it trickle up her arm like ice. Then, as her entire body went numb under the effects of the drug, she felt herself slip away again; holding vainly onto the mental rope the TARDIS threw her.

Somewhere else, a million miles and a thousand years away, he was alone. He felt it before he saw it, knowing without doubt that he was in an unfamiliar place. Moving aching limbs, he sat up in semi-darkness, panic crowding his mind even as he tried to clear it. He was in strange pyjama-type clothes - harsh white cotton - and he glared at it distastefully for a second, before glancing around his cell, using long-trained methods to figure out a way of escape.


	4. Chapter 3

**F/O:** Heh, it finally gets interesting! g Hope you like!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Three.**

"Rose, it's OK, you're safe now." A familiar voice. She opened her eyes blearily, looking straight into worried brown ones.

"Who -?"

"It's me, the Doctor." He replied reassuringly. "It's OK. You had a rather nasty knock."

Did she? She couldn't remember. She remembered a world of a myriad of lights, of a kiss that was made of light and softness, waking up to the Doctor. He had been worried, saying things she didn't want to hear. Talking incoherently about planets and dogs with no noses and dying. She remembered that.

At her frown, he elaborated. "I regenerated, remember? I was dying, and I had to change my body. I told you."

Did he? The frown faded slowly, and she nodded drowsily. Must be true, he was the Doctor. The Doctor would never lie to her.

_Don't listen to him! _The strange thought was muted as it passed across her languid thoughts. She paid no attention to it.

"Come on Rose, let's get you to bed. You could do with some rest."

That sounded like a good idea. Nodding again, she felt herself dragged upright by the Doctor, and tried sluggishly to help as he gently led her to her bedroom. As she woke up slightly in the change of environment, she turned to the Doctor, and suddenly noticed he seemed different.

"Where are your clothes?"

"The jacket?" she nodded. "I changed them. Didn't fit me anymore. I can get them for you, if you like?"

Rose smiled at his honest face, and was happy to see it returned. He looked so worried about her, so concerned about her wellbeing that any other stray doubts fled away. Lying down on the bed, she drifted off into sleep again, feeling his hands lift the covers over her.

This time, however, she did not fall into darkness.

The TARDIS felt her mind, slow and drugged and called out. She knew it would be hopeless, but tried anyway, trying to keep her foothold in Rose's human mind.

The sentience of the ship listened as the impostor persuaded Rose, in her drugged state, who he was, and fumed, nearly blowing some of her wiring in the process. However, when she felt that mind turn once again to sleep, she acted quickly, and pulled Rose out, into her warm embrace.

Rose blinked at her surroundings, her head now clear. She quirked an eyebrow at the familiar sight of the park near where she lived, and turned as she sensed a presence behind her.

"OK, this is either some sort of weird dream, or I'm goin' nuts," she said finally, gazing with wide eyes at, well, herself.

Identical in every way, down to the dirt on the inside of her trainers, the pseudo-Rose smiled back.

"No, you're not goin' nuts." She replied, in Rose's voice. "I thought you might be happier with me like this."

"The TARDIS?" Rose asked, amazed, and the pseudo-Rose nodded. "Well, great time and space vortex thingy that you are, can you not look like me? This could be kinda awkward."

The other Rose grinned, and disappeared. Rose turned fully around, looking for another person, then froze, swallowing.

"That's not funny," she said in a carefully controlled voice as the Doctor strode up to her, leather jacket lifted by the imaginary breeze. He frowned.

"Why? I thought you'd be happy to see him?"

Rose smiled despite everything: a time machine - a sentient time machine - still couldn't really understand her mind.

"Don't you have some normal form?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes briefly, then disappeared the same way the other-Rose had a moment ago.

"I'm not changing this if you're unhappy with it." Another female voice came from behind her, and Rose turned to see a young brunette, clad in a simple blue dress.

Rose grinned, and nodded. "Right. So what's goin' on?"

"You were drugged," the woman replied, shrugging and leading them both over to the park bench where Rose remembered sitting with Mickey, sharing chips on Sunday afternoons, a lifetime ago. "He's managed to persuade you he's the Doctor."

"What!" Rose exploded, standing suddenly. The TARDIS stood with her, and placed her hands on Rose's shoulders.

"Rose. Listen to me – we won't have a lot of time. Back there," she gestured somewhere down and right, presumably meaning back with the impostor, "I can't talk to you. You won't hear me, and you'll go along with whatever he says. You can't fight it," she said before Rose could interrupt. "I know you're strong, but whatever he's using is getting past even me."

"What can we do?" Rose was at a loss. Drugged, and only able to get out in dreams.

"You can't fight him out there, but you can from in here." The TARDIS replied. "I'm going to redirect some of my energy resources to you, so when you're asleep you can get out."

"Like astral projection or somethin'?" Rose asked, thinking of Shareen and her 'new age phase'.

"Sort of. You won't be able to talk to anyone, but I need you to do some things." The intelligent woman then talked for a while, giving Rose a long and detailed explanation of things that were slightly beyond her. Occasionally Rose nodded, but eventually, she just sighed with exasperation.

"Isn't there an easier way of doin' this?" The woman looked taken aback, and frowned. Then she looked Rose up and down, a calculating look in her eyes.

"Maybe. We can try. Give me your hand."

Rose did so, vaguely noting that though she looked human, this woman was warm – too warm, and she could feel the vibrancy of the vortex underneath her palm. Then the warmth in her mind unfolded and expanded, stretching out across her mind. Figures and numbers and calculations flashed across her memory, and Rose had to blink for a few moments after it had stopped, slightly overwhelmed.

"What the-?"

The TARDIS looked smug. "The easier way. Now you can fly me. And here's what we will do…"


	5. Chapter 4

**F/O: **I _like_ this chapter. I really do. - Which means it must be good, right? Enjoy... g

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Four**

He opened his eyes onto darkness.

"Feeling any better?" the sadistic, educated voice came out of the darkness. His hackles rose.

"Why are you keepin' me here?" he yelled in reply, suddenly awake and scurrying back against the bed with not a little fear.

"You have something we want." The voice replied. He frowned. "Or rather," the voice added, smirking, "you did. We have her now."

"Rose." He stated, anger swirling in his eyes.

"Yes. Rose." The voice stepped into the meagre light offered by a small light hanging from the ceiling, showing a malicious smirk and gleaming green eyes. "And your TARDIS."

* * *

"Feeling any better?" The Doctor called to her as she entered the control room later, having showered and changed into a clean t-shirt and pair of jeans.

"Yeah, thanks," Rose replied, and the Doctor smiled before returning to his wiring. She watched him for a few seconds, trying to shake off the feeling of wrongness she felt when she did so.

"What are you doin'?" she asked eventually, the ignored part of her subconscious practically jumping up and down in anger as he sliced something in half with the sonic screwdriver.

"Just some fixing. You wanting to go somewhere?" That same part of her mind snarled at his guarded tone, but Rose shrugged.

"I'm OK."

He looked up and regarded her with a look, which softened quickly. "You wanted the clothes didn't you?"

"Yeah," Rose replied with a lump in her throat. Swallowing quickly, she banished the image of her Doctor, superimposed with this man in his clothes. This new-Doctor.

"I'll get them." He dropped the wires he was holding with a fleeting expression of annoyance, and pocketed the sonic screwdriver and walked out. Rose wandered around the console, her hands itching to fidget, but repressing the urge in case she did something wrong and blew it up.

It took him a while to return, and when he did, he looked flustered, but gave Rose a grin as he handed over the precious jacket. Taking it in trembling fingers, she smoothed the material distractedly.

"Are you OK?" he asked anxiously, and she nodded, before slipping it over her shoulders. Way too large, and clearly masculine, it didn't suit her at all, and yet it worked. Her inner-voice (currently on mute) was cheering, and with new confidence, Rose turned to the Doctor.

"Come on then, let's go somewhere."

The Doctor grinned in reply, and fiddled with his severed wires for a moment before closing up the console and jumping into the routine. Things weren't, however, destined to go as planned. For him at least.

The bell smoked. The bicycle pump whined miserably when his fingers brushed it, and proceeded to beep at random moments. The monitor flashed strange Gallifreyan text in mauve. Switches refused to be pressed.

Rose's inner TARDIS rejoiced in her element as she explained to the confused inner Rose that this was the theft-device, with a few touches. Gallifreyans were, as a rule, rather picky about who flew their time machines, and renegade Time Lords like the Doctor, even more so. And now was her chance to try it out on this fraud.

The outer Rose looked on with confusion and worry as the console sparked.

"Something's going wrong!" the Doctor yelled, his expression shocked. "The energy exchange must have taken a lot out of her!"

"_Wrong!" _came a resounding yell from an unfamiliar voice. The Doctor spun around, aghast at the sound that came from everywhere, before he doubled over in pain.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled, running to his aid. However, just at that moment, according to the plan, the inner Rose leapt forwards and battered with all her might at the drug-barriers in her mind. Rose stopped and swayed as she leant against the console, the mental battle taking up all of her energy.

"Rose!" the Doctor yelled despite the hammering on his own scanty mental skills by the powerful force of the TARDIS. He suddenly screamed as she broke through, sending him unconscious from pain.

"_I have it!" _She yelled, exultant. Rose looked around in desperation, before the mind-block broke and she fell, no longer able to support herself as memories and sensations flooded her now-clear mind, accompanied by a set of co-ordinates that blazed with energy.

Hitting the floor, she curled around herself in pain, before a comforting balm of mental thought soothed her with a concerned touch.

_You are safe Rose. We are safe. Rest for your Doctor, I will guard you,_ came the TARDIS' gentle thought as she struggled to stay awake, fighting the healing sleep her mind craved.

**_Mustn't-sleep… _**Rose fought desperately.

_Sleep Rose. _And she fell asleep.

* * *

When she awoke this time, Rose felt blissfully calm, despite the aching pain in her side and back from sleeping on the metal girded floor of the control room. Quickly assessing the situation, she bound the still unconscious impostor with his own clothes, before turning to the console. The TARDIS was almost silent now, having spent a lot of energy helping Rose these past few days, but the hum of the engines was relaxing as she let the memories float to the surface of her mind.

Guided by the instructions given her by the TARDIS herself, Rose let her fingers drift over the buttons and switches, before falling into a rhythm, almost like a hypnotic dance. She listened for the increase of the engines, she watched the speed of the rotators, and she calculated the position of the stabilisers automatically, dancing around the console, using her momentum to keep herself upright.

Grinning widely, she flicked a few last switches and pumped the bicycle pump, filled with exhilaration from the excitement of flying the TARDIS and the hope and thought of seeing her Doctor again.

As the engines whirred down and they came to land, Rose stood back proudly, fingers trembling, before she walked over to the pseudo-Doctor. Nonchalantly kicking him in the ribs, she fished the sonic screwdriver out of his pockets and placed it in her own. Then, turning away from him, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, patted the console, and strode out of the TARDIS doors to find the Doctor.


	6. Chapter 5

**F/O:** There's no rest for the wicked. Or anyone else for that matter. :)

**

* * *

****Chapter Five**

"We've lost contact with him," an underling reported, before bowing away. The green-eyed man scowled and slammed his fist down on the nearest surface.

"Dammit!"

"Sir?" Another attendant strode in, saluting. The man turned swiftly, and nodded him on. "The prisoner has fallen unconscious again, Mr Haverlake."

"Again?" he replied, incredulous.

The cadet nodded. "Yessir. He seems to be."

"Leave him until morning then. We've got more important problems." He turned away, dismissing the underling with a wave of his hand. "It seems we reckoned without one Miss Rose Tyler."

* * *

The aforesaid Rose Tyler (she would've complained at the 'miss' at this point) was walking down the corridors, in what she hoped was the right direction. She was startled when a voice in her ear suddenly spoke. She fell against the wall, hiding in shadow in case anyone saw her.

_Rose?_

_**Yes?**_

_You will not find him this way._

Rose sighed. **_I know. But how else am I gonna find him?_**

_Call to him._

_**What?**_

_Call to him. With your mind. _The TARDIS elaborated.

_**Oh. One sec**. _Thinking, she focused her thought on the Doctor, and hoped.

_**Doctor?** _

_Rose! _His mental voice, so like his own, brought tears to her eyes. But she had a job to do.

_**Where are you?** _

_What is goin' on? _

_**I've no time to explain. Do you know where you are?** _There was a pause as he thought.

_I'm in a cell – we must be pretty deep here. I can hear generators._

_**TARDIS?**_

_I heard you Rose. He's here. _

Rose felt a nudge of thought enter her mind, filling her with knowledge. Setting off again more confidently this time, she carefully avoided the armed guards with practised ease.

There were several close scrapes when she was nearly caught, but she eventually made it without mishap. Grabbing the sonic screwdriver from her pocket, she switched it on, wincing at the noise it made, before jamming it into the electronic lock.

Several settings later, the door clicked open, to reveal a pair of bright green eyes, and beyond that, the pale face of her Doctor, a gun to his head. Then all thought was gone as she was once again hit over the head.


	7. Chapter 6

**F/O: **After watching David Tennant just now in _Secret Smile_ (ITV), I suddenly realised I hadn't posted today. I'm sacrificing my well-needed sleep here for you guys! - And I've got Chemistry first thing...  
Though, admittedly, psyco!David may linger in my nightmares tonight. He's shivers an amazing actor, but Brendan (his character) is so really freaky. Great program though! Nice to see David in action so to speak (GOF was not enough for me... shivers _dark, intense leather clad man_...) and with his ultra sexy, wonderfully cute, Scottish accent and ruffley hair! I'm thinking of selling plushies... _Ruffle Me Doctor TM. -  
_Yes, the fic. Here it is.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Six**

'_This is gettin' stupid,' _Rose thought to herself as she came to this time, tied to a chair in a large room.

"Ah, Miss Tyler. So good of you to join us." '_Pompous universe-destroying ass_' Rose thought savagely, before opening her eyes. She knew the sort – travelling with the Doctor taught you a lot about people. No matter what race they were, or how many tentacles they had, there was always one that would try to take over the world/city/universe etc.

"Didn't really have a choice, did I?" she replied, pulling against the metal chords holding her wrists and ankles to the back of the chair.

"Now now, let us remain civil. After all, this should only be a simple bargain." His tone was light, but she couldn't see his face as he was pacing behind her. Scanning her surroundings, she replied simultaneously, buying time.

"Bargain? That's what you call it in whatever time-zone we're in?" She was in a long, thin rectangular room, with a door directly in front of her. Glancing to her left, she saw a few rows of computer banks, being attended to by young apparently human people wearing jumpsuits. God, this looked like one of those naff sci-fi shows.

Glancing across in the other direction, her eyes met with his – her Doctor's, and she sighed with relief, despite their current problems.

_Doctor? _

And courtesy demands we speak aloud, An unfamiliar voice sounded harshly in her mind in response, and she twisted her neck to glare at the man behind her.

"Get out of my head!"

An eyebrow quirked above one brilliantly green eye as he moved into her field of vision, and she glanced him over in distaste. No jumpsuit for him – no, he was wearing a lab coat over a suit, his light brown hair short and neat.

"I think you fail to see the situation here, Miss Tyler," the man replied pleasantly, but with a tense edge to his features that denoted anger.

"Nope," she replied, "I think I see it quite clearly. You've kidnapped the Doctor and me and you want somethin' in return. You aren't gonna get it, we're goin' to escape, pull down your evil empire, and get away without a scratch." Rose looked over at the Doctor. "Sound about righ'?"

He grinned in response, but she could tell it wasn't in his eyes. Refusing to be worried by his vulnerability, she smiled. The man scowled.

"You seem to be labouring under the misconception that you will survive this meeting," he hissed. Rose suppressed a shiver. "However," he continued in a much more pleasant tone of voice, "I will correct that."

"My name is James Haverlake. I am one of the most notable medical geniuses studying the mind, if I say so myself. Oh, don't worry, I know your names already Miss Rose Marion Tyler, Doctor," he nodded to each of them in turn, "And you have something I want – something I intend to have."

"You ain't getting' it." The Doctor suddenly snarled from across the room, anger lighting his face. "I won't let you."

"Doctor?" Rose said quickly, and their eyes met; his, still full of anger but tinged with helplessness and sorrow, hers confused.

"Won't let?" Haverlake laughed. "You aren't in the position to stop me."

"Stop what!" Rose asked, her body thrumming with tension.

"I intend to hold the power of the vortex." Haverlake smirked. "And you are going to give it to me."


	8. Chapter 7

**F/O:** Voila, more for you. Aren't I kind? -

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Seven**

"OK, tell me again how he's goin' to get the power of the time-space vortex? I lost it somewhere after – 'I am a complete pillock'" Rose said conversationally to the Doctor, who, still bound, was placed next to her. They had moved rooms, and to Rose's amusement, the evil genius had ordered two retainers to carry them. How embarrassing for them.

Now they were in a smaller room, with a nasty looking chair in front of them – kitted out with headset, bindings and spiky bits. Rose shivered internally just looking at it, but kept up a brave face. The Doctor seemed reassured by her act (or was pretending to be) and their chat had annoyed the pair of bored guards standing over them for five minutes already.

"You two shut up or it'll be worse for you," one of them said gruffly, waving his gun.

The Doctor snorted. "Yeah, right. We're too valuable for your beginner target practice. In fact, if your boss even heard that, he'd probably kill you straight off. You see," he grinned, "you are what is known in this business as 'expendable', whereas we-"

"Are a nuisance I shall soon be rid off," Haverlake finished smoothly, striding in.

"Oh, you're back," the Doctor said coldly. Haverlake shot him a mirthless smile that spoke of torture and pain, before turning to the white-coated attendant that had followed him in.

"Of course. Time is of the essence." He chuckled at his own pathetic joke, before glancing at Rose. The look in his jade eyes was enough to make her shiver, and she felt her face turn pale. Malice, greed, deep longing.

The technician was already hovering over the chair, checking wires and flicking switches. The green-eyed man turned away from his potential victims and walked across.

"Is it ready?"

"Yes sir." Rose started at the voice, and stared at the nondescript man in shock. Messy brown hair, a slight Scottish lilt, brown eyes…

"Oh god," she whispered, staring at the man who she had left tied up in the TARDIS however long ago it was. If he was here, they had got into the TARDIS. They were going to get into her mind, they were actually going to do it.

"Rose?" the Doctor whispered beside her, just low enough for the guards to pay no attention, and she jumped again, his voice sounding suddenly strange and unfamiliar.

_- "Rose, it's OK, you're safe now. " -_

"Rose?"

_- "I am the Doctor! I think I should know!" -_

"Rose!" She blinked, and looked around at the Doctor, brown eyes meeting panicked blue.

"Right, let's get this show on the road then, as they say!" Haverlake cried, turning back to his captives, his eyes bright.


	9. Chapter 8

**F/O: **sings _Guess who's back, back again, Firey's back, bring a friend...  
_Yes, I'm in a bizarre mood. My physics teacher once described me as 'surreal'. g  
More fic for you, as promised. It's long, and it kicks ass!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Eight**

"Oh God." At Rose's voice, his head snapped round, to see her face pale and her expression shocked. Glancing across at what she was staring at, he frowned.

"Rose?" he whispered quietly, hoping no-one would hear. She seemed to start, but didn't look around.

"Rose? Rose!" Finally, she turned to look at him. He suddenly wished she hadn't. Her eyes, her beautiful soft brown eyes that had smiled at him so many times, were blank. Empty. Devoid. And so desperately alone.

"Right, let's get this show on the road then, as they say." His attention was dragged away by the man in front of him, and he had to suppress the urge to growl. Rose was still dazed, but seemed to be paying some attention to her surroundings, though she continued to keep her eyes on the other brunet. Haverlake motioned to the guards, and they stepped forwards, shouldering their weapons and undoing the bindings that held Rose to her chair. As soon as they came within range, Rose was kicking and struggling with all her might, but she was no match for the burly two. In desperation, the Doctor tried to free himself, tried to go to Rose. He had to save her, he had to. What they could do to her… he had to.

"Let her go! She hasn't done anythin' to you!" he yelled loudly, even as the metal cords bit into his wrists and shoulders.

"Don't be so pointless, Doctor," Haverlake sneered to him, walking closer. The Doctor glared at him with 900 years worth of experience, and fought harder. Looking across, he was dismayed to see that one of the guards had knocked Rose over the head, and was pushing her dazed form into the heavy clasps on the chair, whilst _(while)_ the technician complained about possible brain trauma.

"Come now," he continued, drawing the Doctor's attention, "you're a man of science, surely you wish to see the effects of my little experiment?"

"Experiment?" the Time Lord spat, but any further discussion was prevented by a loud noise coming from the other side of the room. The engines were starting up.

"Rose!" the Doctor yelled, helpless. It was all going wrong, his entire fault. He couldn't do anything and now Rose was going to be lost – all because of him.

"Sir!" the technician called, his brown eyes alight with malice. "We're nearly powered up!"

"Perfect!" Haverlake called, a grin lighting his face. "Set it in motion!"

"Doctor!" Rose yelled, fighting against the heavy metal brackets that bound her in place as a cradle lowered over her head.

"NO!" came another voice, shockingly familiar. But too late.

As Jack ran into the room, face bloodied and wielding a gun, the technician pressed the button and all the energy of the chair was released.

Everything happened in slow motion. Rose screamed just once, high-pitched and full of pain, sending chills into the hearts of the two men. The Doctor struggled harder, his eyes moist. Jack took in everything quickly, and turned, shooting the technician from the doorway, then firing bursts into the two guards.

The three men slumped to the ground, and Haverlake, who was quicker off the mark, ducked, throwing himself behind the computers. Jack turned to fire at him, but the Doctor yelled out first.

"No! We can't touch the equipment!"

Panting heavily, Jack walked forwards slowly, his pilfered gun still trained on where Haverlake had gone, and stopped next to the Doctor's chair.

"I thought I might be seein' you again, Doctor," Jack said evenly, sparing him a glance before quickly dissolving the bindings on the chair with a quick burst of energy from his gun.

"Spare the introductions," the Doctor said shortly, ignoring the angry red marks around his wrists, spotted by blood where the harsh material had dug in to skin. Standing, he steadied himself on the chair and advanced forwards, with Jack behind him with covering fire.

"You want to see the power of the vortex?" the Doctor called out, a murderous glint in his eyes. "You want to see the power of a Time Lord?" His eyes narrowed. "Then so be it."

There was a split second of normalcy, then the Doctor's expression fell into deep concentration. He closed his eyes as he gathered his will.

_You want to see time, and you presume to hold it in your hands like a plaything? _he called out, making his mental voice loud and clear, so that even Jack could hear it.

_Then so be it. _With that, he threw himself mentally at Haverlake, pulling with him the full force of his anger and pain. At the academy, so many years ago, a patient teacher had told his class of the dangers of allowing emotions into mental instruction. How irrational or unknown the consequences could be. And in that instant, the Doctor threw it all away, tearing with lethal precision at the other man's mind.

Screams were ringing in his real ears, but they were dimmed by the distance between his body and his mind, and he continued, shredding and ripping through Haverlake's barriers and mind.

"Doctor!" Jack yelled eventually, having clamped his hands over his ears at the loud screams. "Doctor! You have to stop!"

Still he continued, his blood pumping with the need for vengeance on this puny man who had dared to try to take Rose, his Rose, from him.

"Doctor! We need to help Rose!" Wait, Rose needed his help. Rose was being hurt. Rose was **dying**. With a rush of feeling, he flew back into his own mind and took a deep, gasping breath, feeling himself reel slightly. He looked up. Jack was standing by the machine, looking desperately over the controls.

Gathering his thoughts, he strode across and brushed Jack aside, knowing exactly what to press. The one piece of information left from the broken mind of one of the world's leading psychologists, it blazed in the Doctor's memory as he worked feverishly to stop the machine.

Finally, he hit a button and leapt up to tear the helmet-device off of Rose, pulling it right out of the rest of the machine in his haste. Jack quickly moved backwards and the Doctor moved aside as he fired at the clamps holding her down, and they smoked as both men pulled her out and gently lay her on the floor.

Jack looked up at the Doctor, and felt true fear for the first time in a long time as he saw silent tears slip down his face. The Doctor looked up and met his eyes, before taking Rose's hand, and reaching out with his mind once more.


	10. Chapter 9

**F/O: **Penultimate chapter, people! And no, I have no ideas for a sequel... Yet. -  
Hope you like. It's nearly over! sobs Enjoy.**

* * *

**

**Chapter Nine**

"Doctor!" Rose screamed as she felt a wave of pain overcome her.

_Hold on Rose._

_**I can't, it hurts…**_

_I am sorry Rose. So sorry. Just hold on._

_**Tell him, tell him I love him.**_

_Hold on Rose, you can tell him later._

_**Tell him!**_

…_I shall tell him._

The pain continued. She felt a hint of golden energy try to push at the dark energy that was pushing wave upon wave of agony into her, trying to tear her apart, but it wasn't enough. She could feel her hold slipping. It was as though there was oil underneath her fingers, her barriers crumbling under the continued onslaught.

_Hold on Rose!_

_**I… can't…**_

_You must!_

The reply seemed faint, or was it just her hold slipping that was taking her away from everything? She couldn't feel or hear anything now – was just surrounded and enveloped in the pain. Her mind was tearing apart…

Numb now, she fell over the edge, not even noticing that the pain had gone. She seemed to fall slowly, like through a viscous liquid, into darkness from darkness. It was peaceful, but suddenly, she felt a hand grasp hers, familiar fingers interlocking. Looking across, she saw the Doctor, pyjamas and all, and he was staring at her. The grasp on her hand was tight, and she returned it as well as she could, feeling herself stop in mid air. Rose could see something glistening on his cheeks, but the next moment he was grinning, and leaning forwards to whisper one word.

_Run! _

Hand in hand, like so many times before, she responded automatically to the command and ran, not caring or noticing that they were running on air, or that they were running from darkness into darkness.

Then, with a rushing sound, she felt herself vanish, and she was suddenly sat up, coughing, his hand still locked tightly with hers.

"Easy, easy," the Doctor was saying, holding her up carefully as Jack sat back in relief. "It's all right, deep breaths."

Rose did as she was told, and finally she stopped coughing and was able to breathe normally. Looking up, she glanced between the Doctor and Jack.

"You had us going for a moment there," Jack said smiling, his eyes shining with concern.

"Me too." Rose replied seriously, leaning back slightly on the Doctor's steadying arm.

"You OK to get up?" The Doctor asked gently, and she nodded, before being pulled up by the two of them.

"Yeah, we'd better get out of here before someone figures out the boss is, well, indisposed." Jack said, glancing over at the unmoving form of the still-alive Haverlake in the corner. The Doctor's eyes flashed, and Rose glanced at him in concern, but she decided to ask later.

"Come on then," the Doctor replied, keeping his grip on Rose's hand and leading the way, Jack bringing up the rear and checking for any sign of threat.

For once, they had no difficulty getting back to the TARDIS, and leapt in while they could, shutting the doors behind them. The Doctor bounded up to the console, and frowned before starting the dematerialisation sequence, leaving Rose and Jack to grab onto the rails.

"Right," the Doctor said eventually, bringing the ship to a stop in the safety of the vortex. "Medical bay – no complaints."

Surprisingly, there were none, and once inside the familiar room, they were finally able to take stock of their injuries. The Doctor carefully checked over Rose, before running a device over her wrists to repair the broken skin. Then he turned to Jack, who raised an eyebrow.

"I think I can heal myself."

"And I think that you should have nothin' to hide." The Doctor replied, in all serious-ness. Jack waited for a moment, before giving in and lying down, letting the Doctor clean up his face wounds, wincing as he ran cool fingers over painful cuts. When he had done, Jack sat up, but the Doctor hadn't finished.

"Shirt off."

"Why Doctor, I thought you'd never ask," Jack joked, but didn't move. Rose watched this with confusion, but stayed silent. The Doctor always did something for a reason. This time Jack crumbled quicker, and slowly pulled the grubby white t-shirt over his head.

Rose gasped. Jack looked away, but the Doctor looked on with unreadable eyes at Jack's torso, now mottled purple and yellow with bruising. The tension in the room was thick and uncomfortable, but eventually the Doctor reached for the cloth and gently wiped over the wounds, before bandaging them gently.

"Done." The Doctor announced, stepping back. For a second, Rose looked at Jack, before turning to the Doctor, who shifted his hands into his pyjama pockets.

"Right," Jack said, gathering his usual mood back a bit, "is someone going to explain what on Earth just happened?"

"I'll second that," Rose added, sitting down on one of the beds.

"OK then, who wants to go first?" the Doctor agreed, perching on a stool. It was bound to be a long set of stories.


	11. Chapter 10

**F/O:** Last chapter people :(  
I just want to say thank you to all of you - my reviewers, my excellent beta's dokodemohoney and oldweirdme who were brilliant and made this story good. I want to say thanks to all who've read and enjoyed this, for giving this a chance. Thank you!  
I still like this fic. It's my first complete - (and I hope not the last!). Glad to have you all along for the ride.  
Heather.**

* * *

**

**Chapter Ten**

"So how did you get involved in this?" Rose asked, and Jack shrugged.

"I dunno. They must've figured something was going on on Satellite Five, and sent a dispatch to find out what. Luckily for them, I was there." He grinned mirthlessly. "Pretty much as soon as you'd both gone, they arrived – got me in the back with some sort of sleeping dart. Next thing I know, I'm bound to a bed with even more people messin' with my mind." He looked up at Rose and the Doctor.

"Guess I must be just mentally attractive." He smirked. "Anyway, they made some sort of copy of all my memories with you guys, and then came the fun bit. They didn't want to just see what happened – they wanted to know everything they could. That Haverlake guy was obsessed with the idea of time travel, and when he heard the vortex could be channelled into one person, well," he gestured, "he went nuts. Next time I saw him he came in to gloat about how he was gonna be the next ruler of the universe. I really must remember that evil megalomaniacs don't like being insulted."

"Anyway, when he left, I saw my chance. Burnt the bonds on the Electrocuter he left behind and escaped. Knocked out the guard, took his gun – that's when I heard you scream."

"Wait," the Doctor said with a frown. "How did you know Rose was using the power of the vortex?" Jack grinned, and turned to Rose.

"I really meant to thank you for that – saving my life and all." He turned reflective, and his grin fell slightly. "It was weird – dying. I can't really remember it, but I was somewhere, and then I heard you call me back. Next thing I know, I'm waking up with no hole in my stomach, and the sound of the engines ringing in my ears."

"I knew it was you all along, and for that split second when you called me back, I could, I don't know, sense what was going on. That must've been what he picked up on."

"That makes sense." The Doctor added. "I couldn't figure out what he was on about. I guess he never mentioned you in case it gave me an idea to escape – especially if he watched your memories."

"The Doctor's never let us down on escapes," Rose said with a wink. Jack nodded in agreement. There was a slight tinge of red to the Doctor's cheekbones. "So come on then Doctor, your turn."

"Me?" he stood and walked to the other end of the room while they waited patiently. Then he turned to Rose. "I really meant all I said, Rose. I thought I was dying, I really did." He stopped, and Jack frowned, confused, at Rose, who held her finger to her lips.

"But then something happened I didn't expect. A transmat beam, and I fell unconscious. Woke up to his sneerin' face." His expression tightened, and Jack shivered as he remembered the screaming, convulsing body of James Haverlake.

"I don't know why he kept me there. Maybe he wanted a chance to raid my mind, once he'd worked out how to break me." The words were said in such an even voice, it struck Rose to the core. "Then he said he had you, and I fought him. Didn't last long of course; he had about half a dozen men to subdue me, and some heavy duty tranquilisers. He seemed to delight in coming in every so often and gloating. And, the last time, he said Rose was in the building – they'd somehow detected the TARDIS' landing." His eyes were fixed on Rose, but he continued for Jack's benefit.

"They knocked you out and took us to the control room – I'd been there once before. I had no idea what he was going to do. I felt so damned helpless." He turned away from them again, looking uncomfortable and tense at showing his weakness.

"Then we were carried to the experiment room, where you burst in like the cavalry." The Doctor smiled wryly, turning to Jack. "One of these days you're gonna get killed like that."

"Not today." Jack replied, with his own smirk. "Come on then Rose, your turn."

"Once upon a time…" she started jokingly, and was relieved to see a grin work its way onto the Doctor's face. Then, turning serious, she remembered seeing the Doctor disappear and him, the impostor, take his place. Lost in thought, she was startled when she felt arms gently fall onto her shoulders, and realised the Doctor was looking at her, his expression concerned.

"You OK?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Yeah, I'm fine. Right." She thought for a moment. "You disappear into a blinding flash of light, and there's this man in your place."

"_Rose, I **am** the Doctor."_

"He said he was you – said he'd regenerated or somethin'," she grinned dryly. "I think I've hung around you guys too much – I didn't believe him. Good thing really. I think he must've hit me over the head, because next thing I know I'm in here, and he's tryin' the act again. He just didn't seem to get that I knew, but he gave up eventually. Gave me some sort of shot, a drug that made me forget. But he reckoned without the TARDIS."

"What?" the Doctor was giving her a funny look. He was stood next to Jack, leaning against the bed, but he leant forwards at this.

"I think, it doesn't really make much sense, but I'm connected to her. She said all sorts of things – that's how I knew how to fly the TARDIS. She sort of visited me in a dream…" Rose trailed off. "I sound like I'm crazy, don't I?"

"A bit." Jack admitted when the Doctor didn't reply. "But then everything's been crazy since I met you guys – it's practically normal."

"Anyway, yeah, we had this plan. It worked great…"

"_Something's going wrong! The energy exchange must have taken a lot out of her!"_

"_Wrong!"_

"…And I managed to break through. The TARDIS took the co-ordinates out of his head, so when I woke up I flew there. Of course, my escape plan obviously wasn't as great." She shrugged. "That's your forte." She added to the Doctor.

"And for the non-psychic among us," Jack piped up. "What the hell happened in that room?"

The Doctor sighed. "I let my emotion run away with me – the first rule you learn at the academy and I blew it. I broke his mental barriers in order to find out how to stop the machine – his mind was such a mess of greed and insecurities that it was hard to find." He paused. "I destroyed him," he added in a whisper.

"He of all people deserved it. Who knows how many people's minds he's screwed up to get where he is?" Jack asked. "Not to mention Rose."

"Maybe. You had me worried a minute there," he added to Rose. "I could barely find you."

"But you did." Rose smiled. "And I'm glad you did."

"So am I."

Jack stretched, wincing, and completely breaking the atmosphere. Couldn't be helped.

"I don't know about you kids, but I'm going to bed."

The Doctor nodded. "Good idea. Rose?"

"Nah," Rose replied, "I'll stay up a bit – I need to think."

"OK." The Doctor gave her a long look, before watching Jack leave. Once the American had departed, he walked slowly up to Rose, and sat down next to her.

"You OK?"

Rose sighed. "I don't know. It's all…" she searched for a word. "Insane."

"Life is, trust me." The Doctor agreed. "Somehow I think you meant somethin' else though."

"He actually got me to trust him." Rose said eventually. "If it wasn't for the TARDIS, we'd be in such a mess. I should've known it wasn't you."

"How could you have?" the Doctor asked seriously. "You didn't know what a regeneration looks like. You weren't to know."

"I should have known! He didn't act like you, he didn't try to explain anythin'."

"Like what?"

"Like why you sent me away in the first place!" Rose replied heatedly, before closing her eyes.

"I sent you because I didn't want you hurt." He replied sincerely. "I didn't think it would hurt you this much."

"You left me there! How d'you think that made me feel?" Rose asked suddenly, turning to face him, eyes shining with hurt and anger.

"And how do you think I felt, sendin' you away?" he replied in turn, standing again, and turning to hide his face. "Do you think I wouldn't have rather had you by my side? But I chose for you to live instead."

"You shouldn't have to choose for me!" she returned, standing too and moving to face him. "I wanted to stay with you, no matter what."

"And if you had been in my position?" he asked, his tone turning harsh as he repressed his emotions.

"I-" she replied, startled. Then her expression cleared, and she looked away. "I'd have done the same."

"Rose," he started, then paused. She looked up at the sound of her name, and was surprised to see him look uncomfortable. "Rose, I can never let anything happen to you." He sighed, and ran a hand over his short hair.

"Me neither," she said softly, reaching out for his hand. "Because I love you." He turned to face her again, his blue eyes locking with her brown. Then he smiled, his eyes bright.

"You know what?" he asked. "Me too. I love you."

Then, gathering her confidence, Rose reached up and pressed her lips to his. Her Doctor.

Then, as they pulled away, Rose saw a small smile on his face, and revelled in the fact she knew it was just for her.

"I'm so glad I met you." He rubbed his thumb gently over her cheek. Moving closer again, she whispered her reply against his lips before recapturing them.

"Me too."

_Fin._


End file.
